By Parker Mckenzie
Owen Miller nominated as Fusion Party candidate for the Aston by-election because “the major parties are just wasting our time.”
The software engineer said his decision to run was because “there are all these opportunities being squandered in society for us to create a happier, wealthier and more harmonious world.”
“I would argue that these days, it’s money and software that’s running the world,” he said.
“Unfortunately, governments around the world still haven’t been keeping up with the technological trends happening.”
He said if the government embraced open source communities and software projects, society would see the right incentive structures “not just maximising GDP.”
“I’ve been in the software industry ever since 2012 and I see how powerful it is at scaling human thought and how it can think deeper than us as well,” Mr Miller said.
“At the moment, software has this incredible power and it’s not being put to use in improving our society. The people putting software to use are exploiting us, squeezing us and lying to us.”
The Fusion Party’s policies include drug legalization, universal basic income and climate action.
Mr Miller said he sees technological and social solutions to many of society’s issues, but believes the major parties are ill-equipped to handle progressive change.
“people overdosing on drugs, people turning to crime, I see them typically as just the sort of noticeable symptom of a deeper problem, that our society isn’t as best for people’s mental health as it could be,” he said.
“Why are people still so unhappy? I feel more effort could be done, look at New Zealand for instance. They don’t just maximize the GDP, they also take account of the happiness index and funnily enough, they’re higher than we are in terms of world happiness rankings.”
Mr Miller, who lives in Brunswick, moved back to Australia in November 2022 after working in the United States from 2015 in the software industry.
He said he would describe himself as technologically aware and socially progressive.
“We have ideas about how to improve the world and it is a shame that Liberal and Labor have dominated the debate for decades, but I think people are starting to wake up to the fact that we’re squandering chances,” he said.
“If you ask people if are you healthier and are you happier than you were ten years ago, I feel that many people see actually, the major parties are just wasting our time and life isn’t getting as much better as it could.”
For more information on the Fusion Party and Owen Miller, visit fusionparty.org.au
